Posted on May 13, 2022
I voted against the proposed budget adjustments for the fiscal year ending in 2023 which were released around 4:30 a.m. Monday, May 2nd and taken up later that day in the House of Representatives. The budget passed the General Assembly with a near party line vote.
Overall, the package will increase spending by 6.4% over the previous year adding $1.4 billion to the budget. Much of the spending involves one-time allocations setting up fiscal…
Posted on May 9, 2022
Friends and Neighbors,
This month I will be hosting office hours in Old Lyme and Old Saybrook to discuss the recently concluded 2022 legislative session and any questions you may have about state issues.
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library
2 Library Lane, Old Lyme
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Acton Library
60 Old Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook
Posted on May 9, 2022
HARTFORD – During the House Session on Wednesday, April 27th, State Representative Devin Carney (R-23) advocated for the passage of HB 5001 “An Act Concerning Children’s Mental Health.” The legislation seeks to address both the immediate and long-term needs of the state’s mental health systems.
Rates of depression, suicide, substance abuse and suicide increased significantly in recent years exposing the shortfalls with the state’s current mental and behavioral health infrastructure. Emergency rooms…
Posted on April 27, 2022
Dear Friends & Neighbors,
This Saturday, April 30th, is National Drug Take Back Day. The Take Back Day is part of the DEA’s National Take Back Initiative to safely dispose of unwanted medications.
Take Back Day Events are happening across the state from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Use the link below to search for local collection events close to you:
Local Collection Drop Boxes
As of 2021, there are 116 drop boxes across Connecticut located at local police stations, state…
Posted on April 22, 2022
Connecticut Senate and House Republicans unveiled a $1.2 billion tax relief package to help Connecticut’s working- and middle-class families.
The proposal reduces the state income tax for low- and middle-income families and individuals, reduces the state sales tax and eliminates the meals tax, extends the gas tax suspension, cuts the tax on diesel, expands property tax relief, eliminates the state’s new truck tax, accelerates the elimination of the income tax on pension and annuities, and reduces…
Posted on April 7, 2022
From Sunday, April 10, to Saturday, April 16, there will be a tax-free holiday on clothing and footwear. Items sold at $100 or under will not be subject to the state’s sales tax during this time. This tax holiday was included as part of the recently passed HB 5501 “An Act Suspending Certain Gas Taxes and Sales and Use Taxes on Certain Clothing and Allocating Funds for Free Public Bus Services,” which also suspended the 25 cent per gallon gas tax and bus fares through June 30th.
Click here for more…
Posted on March 21, 2022
HARTFORD – At an Education Committee public hearing, State Representative Devin Carney (R-23) offered testimony in support of section 1 of HB 5466, “An Act Concerning Assorted Revisions and Additions to the Education Statutes.” This particular section of the proposed legislation would task the State Department of Education to conduct a feasibility study regarding the creation of a recovery high school.
Recovery high schools are specially created secondary schools for students recovering from drug…
Posted on March 10, 2022
HARTFORD – Connecticut Senate and House Republicans are calling on state lawmakers to temporarily suspend the state gross receipts tax on gasoline and are demanding that Connecticut’s federal Congressional delegation deliver on a federal gas tax cut proposal to provide immediate relief to Connecticut residents as gas prices surge.
Connecticut Republican lawmakers are proposing to suspend the state’s gross receipts tax on gasoline which has risen to 26.4 cents per gallon in recent weeks. They are also demanding that Connecticut’s federal delegation follow through on calls to halt the federal 18.4 cents per gallon gas tax.
Together, these proposals will immediately save Connecticut residents 44.8 cents on every gallon of gasoline.
Republican leaders are calling on state lawmakers to adopt this proposal immediately during the legislative session scheduled for Wednesday, March 16, 2022. The lawmakers will also seek to adopt language to require that suppliers and retailers pass on the reduction in taxes to consumers.
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Posted on March 3, 2022
The state’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) is tasked with regulating the rates and services of Connecticut’s energy utility and telecommunication companies. As part of their work, the agency is investigating different systems to help increase efficiency for customers while also reducing costs.
Two years ago, the governor signed PA 20-5 that requires PURA to establish a Performance Based Ratemaking (PBR) framework that “contain standards and metrics to measure how EDCs perform in meeting…
Posted on February 11, 2022
HARTFORD – During a House Session on February 10th, State Representative Devin Carney (R-23) voted against extending the civil preparedness and public health emergencies, and the extension of executive orders issued by Governor Lamont.
The first item, HJ 1 ‘Resolution Declaring the Continuation of the Public Health and Civil Preparedness Emergencies in the State,’ renewed the state of emergency until June 30th. Connecticut has been governed under a state of emergency since March 10th 2020 when Governor Lamont first issued the declarations.
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